Clayton Town Council approved an agreement at their council meeting Tuesday night to allow First State Inspection Agency to do property maintenance inspections, which is an issue that has been brought up at previous council meetings.

Town Foreman Jeff Hurlock said the agreement basically allows the agency to enforce building code violations; the agency already had an agreement to do inspections for Clayton.

"They can actually do the inspections, write the violation and actually prosecute," Hurlock said.

Currently, Hurlock said he can give a fine but there's no enforcement mechanism.

The issue of rundown buildings has been brought up at the August and October council meetings. Hurlock brought forward a draft copy of the agreement in August, which was then forwarded to the town solicitor.

Residents at the August meeting asked during public forum how the town planned to address rundown houses. Then in October the Wheatley's Pond HOA president asked council to help prevent substandard homes from being built as the last six townhomes were "structurally a disaster." Both times Mayor Tom Horn said the town was looking into a solution.

Councilman Robert Lightcap referenced the complaint and said the agreement moves the town forward in dealing with the issue.